Mop



Marc 1115, 1932. C; M, ANDERSQN' V MOP ` Filed Nov. 3, 1950 Patented Mar. 15, 1932 CHRISTINE`M. ANDERSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO MOJ? ' Application fiel. November 3, 1930. Serial No. 493,131.

This invention relates to mprovements in mops or brushes used for cleaning and polishing purposes.

Primarly, the object of the invention is a provision of a mop of simple and inexpensive construction. f

More specifically, the invention contemplates a simple andrinexpensive mop head supporting frame from which the head may be readily dismounted if it is desired' to clean the fibrous material constituting the head. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of handle and handle attaching means whereby the handle maybe interchangeably used with a plurality of mops or brushes.

Stated broadly, the invention contemplates a mop head frame composed of a plurality of mop head supporting elements, each made of flat metallic stock, and to one of which elements a handle is secured by means of a plate attached to the handle and adapted to be secured firmly against the fiat surface of said supporting element, the handle plate having depending portions or fianges embracing the side edges of the mop head supporting element to impart rigidity to the connection between the handle and frame.

VVith these and other objects in view the I invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrange- J ments of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described and the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims. o

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mop embodying the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mop head supporting frame with the handle attached thereto Fig. 3 is a view of the frame, the several elements thereof being shown dissembled;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken` on the line 4` 4= of Fig. 1; and V q- Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the modified form of the invention with the handle shown in dotted lines. i

In order toreduce the cost of production of the mop to what is believed to be a minimum figure, the means for securing' the handle to the mop has been reduced to as simple a form of construction as possible and the mop supporting frame has been so designed as to permit it to be made entirely of stoclrmaterial, that is, the frame for supporting the mop head iscomposed entirely of a plurality of supporting elements, each formed from fiat strips of metal, the several elements being secured together in a simple way and carrying a screwadapted to project through a plate secured to the handle of the mop. This plate seats flat against one of the elements of the supporting frame' and is clamped thereto by a nut on the screw that projects through the plate, the connection being given proper rigidity by having the plate on the handle'formed with depending portions or flanges at its edges adapted to embrace the side edges oftheflatmop head supporting element.

i In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figs. 1 to 4, the frame consists of a fiat bar 10 whose ends are split longitudinally of the bar and the two split por-* tions at each end ofset in opposite directions, as illustrated at 11 and 12. Permanently secured to this bar 10 and projecting laterally therefrom is what will be termed an arm 13 whose free end is also split and formed with oppositely ofiset portions 14, 15. Proj ecting laterally from bar 10 in a direction opposite to arm 13- is a second arm 16, provided with oppositely oifset end portions 17, 18. :This arm 16 is detachably secured to the remainder of the mop head supporting frame by a screw V attached the strands, or cleaning elements 22,

` and said plate, the plate and' arm being firmly ofthe mop head. The dimensions of the bar and arms are such that they distend the band 21 and thereby retain it in the bifurcated offset end portions of the frame.

' In this form of mop the Vl1andle23 has a plate 24 attached thereto, said plate being formed with an opening 25 through which the screw 19 also projects. When assembled with the frame, the'arm 16l lies' flat on the arm 13, and the plate 24 lies flat on the arm 16 With screw 19 projecting through arm 16 clamped on the frame by a nut 26., VAs will be 'apparent, if it is desired to remove the vmop head from the frame say, for thepurpose of washing it, nut 26 is' removed and the handle andarm 16 detached. Detachment of armV 16 relieves the tension on the bancl 21, so' that the head can then be readily'removed from the end of arm 13 and the opposite ends of the bar 10.

' To lend rigidity to the connection between the handle and frame, the opposite edge portions of plate 24 are turned down toform flanges 27, the Comparative widths of arm 16 and plate 24 being such that these flanges fit 'snugly lagainst the edges of said arm. Likewise, to lend rigidity to the connection between arm 16 and the remainder of the frame, the end of arm 16 opposite the offset end portions 17, 18 is turned down, as indic-ated at 28, and the arm'13 is formed with an aperture 29l adapted to receive this projection 28.` This interlocking of projection 28 in opening 29 not only strengthens the connection of the arm 16 on the frame but the projection 28 affords a broader surface against Vwhich the thumb can be placed when the frame is being placed in the mop head. That is, when the frame is to be placed in the mop head the bar 10 and arm 13 are first placed-in the band of the head after which the arm 16 which has previo-usly been detached,

is placed with its bifurcatedend against the band and the band extended by the application of pressure against the projection 28. rThis is preferably done by pressing with the thumb against said projection until the opening 20 comes into registry with the screw 19, whereupon the screw will enter said opening and the projection 28 can be snapped down into the opening 29. After the frame has thus been assembled in the mop head the han-` dle canlthen be attached by screwing the plate 24 to thearm 16 and screw' 19, as before described. V V

In the form of the invention illustrated in F ig. 5, instead of having'four head supporting elements radiating from the handle, so to speak, there are only two of such head supporting elements. These two elements are formed simply bytwo flat, substantially rigid strips or arms 30 that extend in opposite directions into pockets 31 of the supporting portion of the mop head. The length or depth ofthe pockets 31 is less than the length of the strips'30, so that the juxtaposed ends of said strips are exposed. These juxtaposed exposed portions of the strips lap one another and are 'fastened together Vby means of a screw 19a on the lowermost strip projecting through an opening 20'DL in the upperstrip. As in the construction shown in Figs. l to 5, the handle 23 has a plate`24 provided with an 5o eninff 25 throiwh which the screw 19'a also P s e V project-s, the plate and strips being rigidly secured thereto by a 'nut26fl on the screw 198. In thismodified construction the plate 24 is formed With the down turned flanges 27 which closely embrace the side edges of the strips 30.

As Will be appreciated, the attachment 'of' thehandle to the mop head supporting frame is substantially the same in'both instances. It is very simple in construction, the connection simply consisting in the plate 24 gripped,

so to speak, on one ofthe bars or strips constituting one of the mop head supporting elements. As a consequence, the mop head supporting frame may be made not only of simpleL construction butvof fiat stock. vAnother advantage of this form of connection is that the handle can be used interchangeably with different mops, so that the manufacturer canfurnish a set of mop heads and frames, each mop being usable for a different purpose, but he will only have to furnish a single handle, as that handle can be usedinterchangeably with the several mops.

What I claim is: V

' 1. In a mop, amop head having a Comparatively soft cleaning or polishing portion and a supporting portion by which the cleaning Vor polishing portion is carried, a handle, and

a bracket by which said handlelis connected to the supporting portion of the mop head, said bracket comprising a pair of lfiat arms the outer end portions of which firmly engage said Supporting portion and the inner end portions of which lap each'other for a substantial distance, a channel-shaped member to which said handle isattached, said channel-shaped member being snugly engaged about the lapped portions of said arms and holding said arms in alinement, and detachable fastening means rigidly securing` said channel-shaped member to said lapped arms and preventing movement of said lapped arms relative to each other.

2. In a mop, a mop head having a Comparatively soft cleaning or polishing portion and a supporting portion by which the cleaning or polishing portion is carried, a handle, and

a bracket by which said handle is connected to the supportng portion of the mop head, said bracket comprising a pair of flat arms the outer end portions of which firmly engage said supporting portion and the inner end portions of which lap each other for a substantial distance, an apertured plate to which said handle is attached, said plate being fiatly disposed upon the overlapping arm and having a depending flange portion which abuts edges of both of said arms and holds said arms in alinement, and a fastening bolt engaged with the lapping portions of said arms and extending through the aperture of said plate rigidly securing said plate to said lapped arms and preventing movement of said lapped arms relative to each other.

3. In a mop, a mop head having a Comparatively soft cleaning or polishing portion, a supporting portion by which the cleaningor polishing portion is carried, and a pair of spaced, oppositely disposed pockets formed in said supporting portion. a handle, and a bracket by which said handle is connected to the supporting portion of the mop head, said bracket comprising a pair of fiatarms the outer end portions of which are snugly and firmly received in the pockets of said supporting portion and the inner end portions of which lap each other for a: substantial distance on the portion of said band extending between said pockets, a channel-shaped member to which said handle is attached, said channel-shaped member being snugly engaged about the lapping portions of said arms and holding said arms in alinement, and detachable fastening means rigidly securing said channel-shaped member to said lapped arms and preventing movement of said lapped arms relative to each other.

4. In a mop, al mop head having a ringshaped supporting band by which the cleaning or polishing portionof the mop is carried, a. handle, and a bracket by which the ring-shaped supporting band is attached to said handle, said bracket comprising a spreader bar extending diametrically across said band and having means at its ends engaging diametrically opposed portions of said band and holding said band distended in the line of said spreader bar, a pair of fiat arms having lapping inner end portions which cross said spreader bar at substantially right angles thereto at a point nea-r its center and havmg outer end portions which firmly engage and distend said band at points intermediate the points at which it is engaged bv said spreader bar, a channel-shaped member to which said handle is a-ttached, said channelshaped member being snugly engaged upon the lapping portions of said arms and holding said arms in alinement, and detachable fastening means rigidly securing said channelshaped member to said lapped arms and'v spreader bar and preventing movement of said arms and spreader bar relative to eachV portion which'crosses and is attached to said v spreader bar at right angles thereto and having an outer end portion` which engagesV and distends said supporting band at a point intermediate the points at which it is engaged by said spreader bar, a second flat arm having an inner end portion 'which crosses said spreader bar and overlaps the inner portion of the first arm and having an outer end portion which engages and distends said supporting band at a point opposite its point of engagement by said first arm, a channel-`v shaped member to which said handle is attached, said channel-shaped member being snugly engaged upon the lapping portions of said arms and holding said arms in alinement, a bolt passing through said spreader bar, arms, and channel-shaped member, and a nut threaded upon said bolt and detachably securing the parts of said bracket in assembly within the ring-shapecl supporting band.

6. In a mop, a mop head having a ringshaped supporting band by which the cleaning or polishing portion o-f the mop is carried, a handle, and a bracket by which the ring-shaped supporting band is attached to said handle, said bracket comprising v a spreacler bar extending diametrically across said band and having each of its ends centrally split to provide a pair of tongues one of which is bent upwardly and the other of which is bent downwardly receiving therebetween a portion of said band, a pair of flat arms having inner end portions which lap each other and cross said spreader bar at substantially right angles thereto at a point near its center, and having outer end bandengaging portions similar to those of said spreader bar which irmly engage and distend said band at points intermediate the points at which it is engaged by the ends of said spreader bar, and means by which said arms and spreader bar are held in banddistending assembly and said handle is attached thereto.

7. In a mop, a mop head having a comparatively soft cleaning or polishing portion and a supporting portion by which the cleaning or polishing portion is carried, a handle, and a braclret by which said handle is connected to the supporting portion of the mop head, said bracket including a pair of fiat arms the outer end portions of'which Viirmly engage and distend said supporting portion,V and the inner end portions of which lap each other foi` a substantial distance, means 'for v holding said arms extended in band-distending re lation comprising an aperture in the intermediate portion of one arm and an integral lug or projection at the inneil end of the other armwhich lug is receivable in said aperture, and means at the center of the lapping portions of said anns fox` holding said lapped arm'portions flatly against each other With said lug engaged Within said aperture, said last mentioned means also serving to s'ecure said handle to said arms.

' CHRISTINE M. ANDERSON. 

